Write About Inspector Goole’s Role in the Play. How Far Is He a Believable Policeman? How Does Priestly Use the Inspector in the Play?
Write about Inspector Goole’s role in the play. How far is he a believable policeman? How does Priestly use the Inspector in the play?
In this essay I am going to be exploring the role and function Priestly gives the inspector in “An Inspector Calls“. I am going to break down his role in the play, explore his effects on the other characters, analyse his stage presence, show his intention in coming to the Birling household and also how Priestly utilises the inspector’s personal qualities. I am also going to express whether I think, in the play, the inspector is supposed to be a real person or something other.
The Inspector is a critical part of J.B. Priestly “An Inspector Calls”. He is a catalyst in a concoction of Edwardian lies and deceit.
The Inspector’s role in the play is to make the other characters realise how people are responsible for how they affect the lives of others. Priestly thought that if we are more aware of responsibility, the world should learn from their mistakes and develop into a place where every can be treated fairly. The Inspector states that everyone is, “…intertwined with our lives…” (p. 56). It is interesting that the Inspector enters after Birling has just finished his speech on society and how he says, “…you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else” (p. 10). The Inspector is the antithesis (direct opposite) of Mr. Birling’s Victorian and capitalist view on society: every man for himself.
Clearly, throughout the play, the Inspector has talked about the community, togetherness and sharing. The Inspector expresses an individual view of society. From the dialogue, it is evident that the Inspector has a socialist view. A socialist is a person who believes in a political and economic theory or system where the community, usually through the state, owns the means of production, distribution and exchange. An example of a socialist view from the Inspector is, “…we are members of one body. We are responsible for each other” (p. 56).
In this essay I am going to be exploring the role and function Priestly gives the inspector in “An Inspector Calls“. I am going to break down his role in the play, explore his effects on the other characters, analyse his stage presence, show his intention in coming to the Birling household and also how Priestly utilises the inspector’s personal qualities. I am also going to express whether I think, in the play, the inspector is supposed to be a real person or something other.
The Inspector is a critical part of J.B. Priestly “An Inspector Calls”. He is a catalyst in a concoction of Edwardian lies and deceit.
The Inspector’s role in the play is to make the other characters realise how people are responsible for how they affect the lives of others. Priestly thought that if we are more aware of responsibility, the world should learn from their mistakes and develop into a place where every can be treated fairly. The Inspector states that everyone is, “…intertwined with our lives…” (p. 56). It is interesting that the Inspector enters after Birling has just finished his speech on society and how he says, “…you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else” (p. 10). The Inspector is the antithesis (direct opposite) of Mr. Birling’s Victorian and capitalist view on society: every man for himself.
Clearly, throughout the play, the Inspector has talked about the community, togetherness and sharing. The Inspector expresses an individual view of society. From the dialogue, it is evident that the Inspector has a socialist view. A socialist is a person who believes in a political and economic theory or system where the community, usually through the state, owns the means of production, distribution and exchange. An example of a socialist view from the Inspector is, “…we are members of one body. We are responsible for each other” (p. 56).